Abstract
In line with the Farm-to-Fork principle and "0 km" foods, cultivating competitive local raw materials is essential for a sustainable economy. This study investigates the feasibility of cultivating oats in Alpine regions with specific climatic conditions as those environments are underexplored for oat cultivation. Twelve spring-planted cultivars (ten Avena sativa L. and two Avena nuda L.) were grown in the Alpine region South Tyrol in 2021 and, as a quality assessment, the nutrient profiles were compared to ten commercially available cultivars (Avena sativa L.) from different origins. Commercially used cultivars had a higher (3-glucan content (3.7-5.7 g per 100 g oat flour) and total phenolic content (197-264 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g oat flour), while no statistic significant differences were observed for the total antioxidant capacity (max. 1.43 mmol Fe2+ per 100 g oat flour) or the profile of avenanthramides. Although there was no difference in the total fat content (max. 6.60 g per 100 g oat flour), the cultivars grown in South Tyrol were higher in polyunsaturated fatty acids (44-51 %). The nutrients of oats grown in South Tyrol revealed little to no differences from commercial oats, indicating that the tested cultivars are well adapted to local microclimate and could be used in mountainous regions with similar climatic conditions.